Whoever is crowned Squirrels Unlimited Squirrel Cook Off World Champion September 7 in Bentonville, Arkansas is going to be $500 richer thanks to Mepps, the world's largest recycler of squirrel tails.

"We are pleased to sponsor the Cook Off," Jim Martinsen, Mepps spokesperson said." In fact, it was a no-brainer for us. We were 'in' as soon as we were contacted by Joe Wilson, president of Squirrels Unlimited."

While this isn't the first year for Squirrels Unlimited to host a Squirrel Cook Off, it is the first year it will be crowning a World Champion.

"The Cook Off is going extremely well with teams from coast-to-coast, signed-up to compete," Wilson has commented. "This years event will be aired on television as well." For details visit: http://www.squirrelcookoff.com/

All of the hunters participating in the Cook Off will be donating their squirrel tails to Mepps, and the hunter who donates the most tails will receive a special Mepps squirrel tail dressed six-lure variety kit. Mepps has been buying fox, black, and grey squirrel tails for more than three decades, and will pay from 16-cents to 25-cents each for tails, depending on quality and quantity. The cash value is doubled if the tails are traded for Mepps lures.

"Hundreds of other materials, both natural and synthetic, have been tested," Martinsen notes, "but few materials work as well. Mepps is only interested in recycling tails taken from squirrels that have been harvested for the table," he stresses. "We do not advocate taking squirrels strictly for their tails."